Extraterrestrial Refugees

Despite getting very little sleep the night before due to anticipation, Gemma’s step was peppy as she walked into the control room that morning. Clarence and the communication team were already there sitting in front of monitors and communicating with the other vessels. The day had finally arrived for them to land. At the last UN summit, each country was given the opportunity to declare how many Tetranese ships they were willing to receive and provided a location of where they would be permitted to land. Many more countries became open to the idea upon hearing of the miraculous healing of President Dawson’s wife and were actually begging for the Tetranese to come to them.

A Tetranese city would rise up from the New Mexican desert in a single day. Several more would be established in the farthest, most remote corners of the Earth: the Yukon of Canada and Alaska, the great Sahara Desert, and even one in the northernmost reaches of Russia. The others would be individually dispersed throughout the world.

Gemma stood beside Clarence. “It’s a monumental day today,” she said.

“It is indeed.” They were just moments away from telling all the thousands of other vessels to make their descent. Clearing the landing area was a big task. The other locations where the vessels would be landing was not publicly announced to avoid the problem elsewhere. Another huge crowd was gathered outside to witness the arrival, including hundreds of news reporters.

Unwin turned away from his monitor and looked at Clarence. “Shall I give them the go ahead?” he asked. Clarence and Gemma exchanged a glance.

“Yes. Tell them to proceed to their destinations,” Clarence said. Unwin did as he asked. A minute later he announced,

“All vessels are in motion.”

Gemma spun on her heels and faced the window. Her eyes wandered to the blue sky which would soon be filled with Tetranese ships. Would Vance’s be among them? The other vessels had confirmed the Resilience was not with them, but she hoped against all hope they were mistaken. He had to be with them.

“Wait, what’s that? A missile?” Clarence asked, pointing at a radar monitor. Gemma walked back over to him. “No, it’s too big to be a missile.”

“Clarence, that looks like one of ours,” Gemma mumbled. She leaned in closer to the monitor. “It is one of ours!”

“You’re right. It’s an escape pod.” Clarence got onto the communication device. “Captain Rosher, this is Captain Clarence.”

“Captain Clarence, this is Captain Rosher,” a reply came over the speakers.

“On my radar I am seeing what appears to be one of our escape pods in your proximity. Can you confirm that?” Clarence asked. A moment of silence ensued.

“Yes, sir. I can confirm that. However, we cannot establish contact with the pod,” Rosher said.

“Neither can we. But they seem to be following you.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s all keep an eye on it.”

“Will do, sir.”

Gemma pulled her hair back and tied it up. “Why can’t we communicate with that pod?”

Clarence shrugged. “I don’t know. It doesn’t even have an identity tag on the radar.”

Gemma stared at the radar for a minute longer. “I’m going out there.” She was turning to walk away when Unwin made another announcement:

“An attack has been launched on the Jubilee landing in Australia.”

“Australia? Really?” Clarence said, surprised.

“That’s probably not where the attack originated,” Gemma said. “I’m sure there will be more, as we predicted.”

“Yes, another one in Finland,” Unwin said.

“Are the shields holding up? Is everyone okay?” Gemma asked.

“So far, yes.”

Large shadows began blocking out the hot sun. “Okay, I’m going out now,” Gemma said.

“Gemma—” Clarence began, but he was interrupted by Unwin.

“Another attack in South Africa,” he said. “This one sounds like it was pretty bad. Not for our people, but for the crowd gathered to welcome them. We should expect casualties.”

Gemma breathed and blinked steadily. Clarence placed a hand on her shoulder. “Gemma, their blood is not on our hands. You cannot allow yourself to feel responsible for their deaths. You did not launch the attack.”

Gemma pulled away from him and looked away. “Nonetheless, the attack would not have been launched at all if we were not here. You cannot deny we are at least somewhat responsible for these sorts of deaths.” She began walking away again.

“Gemma, please don’t go out there. With these attacks—it could be dangerous,” Clarence said.

“I know,” Gemma replied. She left the bridge and was in an elevator descending to the gates when the ship suddenly jolted, launching Gemma against the wall. The air seemed to quiver and then there was a deep, rumbling sound.

Gemma sat up, rubbing her head. She pushed herself up to her feet when the elevator door slid open. The entry hall was bustling. “What was that?” Gemma asked one of the gatekeepers.

“Some sort of explosion from outside,” the man replied.

“Have we been hit? Ah!” Gemma held her palm to her forehead. She lowered it again and saw it was covered with blood.

“You’re bleeding. You better go to the medical center,” the gatekeeper said. Gemma shook her head resolutely.

“I don’t have time for that. I’ll just get a bandage from the first-aid kit.” She walked over to the wall and opened a small cabinet that was filled with basic medical supplies.

“Gemma!” Clarence called, rushing up to her. He looked at her forehead in concern. “Are you okay?” He was winded from running.

“I’m fine. I just hit my head a little bit. What was that?”

“It was the escape pod,” he answered, still breathing heavily. “Someone has shot it down.”

Gemma did not know if it was the shock from Clarence’s announcement, or the shock from her injury, but she suddenly felt extremely lightheaded. She braced herself on the wall then fell into Clarence’s arms as she lost consciousness.

“Gemma, the escape pod was from the Resilience,” Clarence said upon returning from the crash site, confirming Gemma’s awful assumption. He carried a bent-up strip of metal with a number engraved on it. His voice and facial expression were solemn. His hands had been severely burned and his cheeks were covered with soot. Gemma’s heart froze and her knees trembled.

“Vance’s ship.” She could hardly say the words. She made a rush toward the smoking wreckage, but Clarence trapped her in his arms.

“There’s nothing you can do,” he said.

“Are there any survivors?”

Clarence shook his head. “None.”

Gemma tried to control her breathing while she watched a drop of blood slide down Clarence’s small finger and splatter on a rock. There was no saying Vance had been on the pod, she reminded herself. In fact, the chances that he was were incredibly small, given the fact that there weren’t enough pods to fit every passenger on. She knew her Vance; he would not hesitate to give his space to someone he deemed more deserving.

Still feeling weak, she lowered herself down and sat in the dirt, embracing her knees. Clarence joined her. She looked toward the wreckage again, filled with an anger and sadness that writhed in her gut. The black smoke poisoned the blue sky, rising up in formidable billows. A helicopter flew over and dropped a bucket of water onto the flames. Amidst the chaotic tragedy, the large vessels continued their synchronized and gradual descent.

“Who’s responsible for this? Who launched those missiles?” Gemma asked.

“I don’t know. The army is on it though. I’m sure they will soon have an answer.”

Gemma shook her head. “Why would they do this? Have we not resolved all of their fears?”

“I’m beginning to fear we never will,” Clarence sighed.

Gemma looked up at the growing tower of vessels. They were now three ships high. She watched as the legs reach out and locked them into place. An instant city. Behind the glistening silver walls and the small peep-hole windows, she knew she was looking at close to a million people—her people. People who wouldn’t senselessly launch attacks on one another.

She let her head fall forward against her knees. She knew that escape pod had the answers she had so desperately been waiting for. The people whose bodies lay amongst the wreckage knew where Vance was; they could have told her why he wasn’t there with her where he was supposed to be.

Gemma shakily rose to her feet. “You’ll have to greet the others for me, Clarence,” she said. She looked across at the bottom vessels. Already, their ramps were extended to the ground, their gates were sliding open, and their people were sliding out. Gemma felt apprehensive about them exposing themselves that way, knowing their hostile attacker could launch another missile. She also appreciated that they were eager to be freed from the crowded confines of their ships.

Gemma retreated to her bedroom. She fell onto her bed and sobbed into her pillow.